Sunyudo Island & My First Taste of Xenophobia

Saturday proved to be a day full of the sort of randomness I've come to expect here in Korea. It all began on Friday, when some friends invited me to go with them to Sunyudo Island, an island off the west coast (in the Yellow Sea), on Saturday. They had found a tour package that included the bus ride, ferry, and three meals for only $20,000 won (less than $20). The plan was to meet at 5:30 am, take a taxi to the train station, where the bus was leaving from, and then leave at 6:00 am. Obviously, we had no idea of what to expect, but we knew that no matter what we'd manage to have fun.

Twelve of us wound up going, and we somehow all made it to the train station on time. The bus driver, upon seeing twelve foreigners, panicked, and at first wouldn't let us on the bus. After he called and checked with the tour company, he decided to let us on. We departed pretty close to on-time, and stopped in Pohang to pick up more passengers. All of us foreigners were placed in the back of the bus, with not a single person daring to sit in the one empty seat amongst us. We decided to find the xenophobia (fear of foreigners) amusing.

The four hour bus ride proved enjoyable. We were served a breakfast of kimbap and pickled radishes about two hours into the journey, and the scenery was lovely to look at. Plus, we were certainly at no loss for conversation. It turned out, as I had suspected, that there was a catch in getting the tour for such an inexpensive price. We had to make two stops to listen to sales pitches on the way.

The first stop was a ginseng company in Daedong. Here we listened to a whole speech about the many benefits of red ginseng, in Korean. Our Korean friend, Ash, did a little translating for us, but mostly we just pretended to pay attention. We had to opportunity to try a free sample of liquid red ginseng. Let's just say that the flavor made cough syrup seem like a delicacy. After the spiel was over, they gave each of us a free cake of red ginseng soap (it actually smells rather nice) and let us back on the bus, where we were given black ginseng candy to try. The candy tasted pretty good, so I went ahead and bought a bag. It's low in sugar, and it has many health benefits.

The next stop was a deer farm, where we foreigners were allowed to stay on the bus. I guess they figured out that we weren't going to buy anything. We goofed around until it was time to leave. Once we got to the coast, they announced that we were running late and would have to rush through lunch at the restaurant. They meant it! We all ran into the restaurant, kicked off our shoes, and sat where we were commanded to sit. The food (which wasn't very good) was already on the tables, so we started scarfing it down. I was halfway through my rice when they called for us to leave (we had been there for about five minutes). We rushed back to the bus, and just made it in time to catch the ferry.

We were almost not allowed on the ferry, owing to our being foreign, but luckily the bus driver convinced them that we were part of the group (apparently the badges we were wearing did not make this clear). Once we got on board, we discovered that the seats were pretty much all taken, so we opted for the much more pleasurable experience of standing on the deck the whole time (it was an hour and a half ride). The pollution from China mixed with the pollution from Korean coastal industry made the view very hazy, but there was still plenty to see. My favorite part was getting to watch some seals playing. They were very unaccommodating though, and went underwater as soon as I turned my camera on!
Unfortunately, we were only given one hour to explore the island, so we decided just to walk half an hour in one direction and then back. On our walk, we passed a beach made entirely of clam and conch shells, as well as several restaurants serving up fresh seafood. As in, so fresh that the fish were swimming in tanks and then chopped up while you watched. In a nearby tub, the severed fish heads were still moving and breathing. Ew. Another disgusting sight was the popular local dish of fresh baby octopus tentacles, which are served still wiggling. Apparently, there have been several instances of people dying from the tentacles latching on when they in the process of swallowing them.
On the ferry ride back, we decided to sit inside. The entertainment included Korean karaoke and a Korean drag queen, who entertained us with some very interesting dance moves. Many of the Koreans on board got really into dancing, and even tried to persuade us to join them. Only Lizzi was game for it, and she later remarked that dancing on a swaying boat was a somewhat dizzying experience. Later, we went outside and spent the rest of the ferry ride enjoying the fresh air and the views.

On the four-hour bus ride back to Gyeongju, we were served our dinner of sticky rice, pickled radishes, and kimchi. We foreigners decided to supplement our meal with some tasty snacks that we purchased at the first rest stop. About an hour and a half into our return journey, there was a loud bang, and bus pulled over to the side of the highway. We had a flat tire. The driver did something to temporarily mend the tire, then drove at a very un-Korean slow pace until the next rest area, where the tire was changed. We all had to get off the bus at this point, and it had gotten rather chilly, so we foreigners kept warm by forming a huddle. To entertain ourselves (as well as the Koreans), we sang the "Kickin' It in Geumchon" song, which we have all committed to memory. We finally made it back to Gyeongju a few minutes before midnight.